1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to packaging assemblies for use in the packaging of multiple compact discs. More particularly, the present invention relates to packaging assemblies for packaging multiple compact discs, wherein each of the compact discs contained within the packaging assembly is visibly displayed.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Compact discs are becoming a standard recording medium upon which commercially available computer software and music are sold. Traditionally, compact discs have been individually packaged in protective plastic cases such as that exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 5,279,097 to Weisburn et al., entitled CONTAINER FOR COMPACT DISC. Such compact disc packaging provides adequate shipping protection to the compact disc. However, the labeling used in such packaging usually prevents the actual compact disc from being viewed until the packaging is open.
Conventional compact discs only have one side upon which data is recorded. The opposite side of the compact disc is blank and its typically covered with colorful graphics or indicia explaining the data contained on the compact disc. Recognizing that the graphics and indicia printed directly on the compact disc have aesthetic valve and market appeal, packaging has been developed that displays the compact disc directly along with any printed material sold with the compact disc. Such prior art packaging is exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 5,253,751 to Wipper, entitled PACKAGING FOR COMPACT DISCS. However, such packaging assemblies are designed to display only a single compact disc.
Many commercially available computer programs, data base collections, music collections and the like are often too large to be contained on a single compact disc. As such, multiple compact discs are packaged together and sold as a unit. In the prior art, multiple compact discs that are sold together are typically individually wrapped and packaged in a common box. Consequently, the consumer is prevented from directly viewing the compact discs contained within the packing. As a result, when consumers purchase such a package box, they often do not know how many compact discs are contained within that box.
In marketing, various compact discs are compiled and are sold as a "variety pack", wherein certain compact discs normally sold separately are sold together. When packaging a variety pack, it is highly desirable to show the consumer exactly how many compact discs are contained within the collection and identify what each of the compact discs contain. In the prior art, variety packs contain individually wrapped compact discs contained in a common box. As a result, the manufacturer relies solely on the packaging graphics contained on the box to explain the contents of the variety pack. This requires a consumer to stop and read the packaging box of the variety pack in order to determine its contents.
It is therefore an object of the present invention satisfy the need in the art for a packaging assembly for multiple compact discs that directly displays each of the compact discs, thereby enabling consumer to directly see how many compact discs are contained in the packaging and identify which compact discs are provided.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a packaging assembly, as explained above, that retains multiple compact discs in a space efficient manner that minimizes packaging waste.